Sweden had only earned one point after four World Cup qualifiers when Jon Dahl Tomasson was fired. Sweden lost two matches against Kosovo, among others. The Danish coach faced heavy criticism for his tactics.
The Swedish Football Association chose to bring in Graham Potter as a temporary replacement, and the Englishman has now extended his contract until the summer of 2030. In a podcast, IFK Värnamo captain Simon Thern, 33, gave his view on what went wrong with Tomasson. Thern reportedly said that hiring a Danish-Dutch coach did not inspire sympathy and that the team's shift to an extreme man-to-man playing style was a complete failure, as it moved away from a compact, collective defense.
hiring a Danish-Dutch coach did not inspire sympathy and that the team's shift to an extreme man-to-man playing style was a complete failure, as it moved away from a compact, collective defense
He added that while he likes offensive football, it does not suit every team, and leadership must build a strong collective. According to reports, Stefan Billborn, IFK Göteborg's coach, commented that Sweden has players who are not playing or making an impact in their club teams. Sweden faces a crucial match against Ukraine in the qualifiers.
while he likes offensive football, it does not suit every team, and leadership must build a strong collective
Sweden has players who are not playing or making an impact in their club teams